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Medical tattoo artists use traditional tattoo needles, machines, and ink to enhance the appearance of people’s scars, stretch marks, or other marks on the body clients may feel insecure about. 

A studio art major and biology minor, Smith originally planned to be a nurse, pursuing a master’s degree after graduating. However, halfway through the MSN program, she realized it wasn’t what she was meant to be doing. 

“I had worked as a CNA previously, and my senior project at the College was about my work with my patients,” Smith said. “Nursing work is very close to my heart, but I wasn’t happy doing it, and it didn’t feel right. It felt like something was missing.” 

After leaving the program, Smith thought carefully about what she wanted her future to look like. 

“I tapped back into the artist part of me and thought about how I had designed tattoos for people and joked about becoming a tattoo artist in high school,” Smith said. “Then I started to take that joke seriously.” 

Smith met with a tattoo artist to start learning about the trade, and he introduced her to the artist she now works for.  

“I took a course my mentor taught about medical tattooing and working with vitiligo, scars, and stretch marks, and I loved the class. I felt like this could be a great opportunity, and I offered to help run her studio,” Smith said. “I started working with her and it all fell into place. 

For Smith, being a medical tattoo artist is a perfect combination of her love for art and her passion for helping people. It fills the gap she felt when pursuing nursing. 

“When I worked as a CNA, I enjoyed seeing confidence and energy being brought back into my patients,” Smith explained. “With my clients now, it’s amazing to see their positive reactions and know that my work is something that might change their lives.” 

Part of Smith’s job is to market herself and her work. While she didn’t study business or marketing at the College, she is thankful for her professors and courses at Lake Forest for inherently teaching her how to advocate for herself, manage her business, and promote her work. 

“One of my professors had us create an Instagram account to post our art on, and now social media is one of the main ways I connect with new clients,” Smith said. “Starting my page in college kick-started my career.” 

View Smith’s work and connect with her on Instagram or via her website.